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The results were compared with those from a placebo "dummy" treatment.

Bulimia symptoms were significantly reduced by the "real" tDCS therapy, which lowered scores on a scale measuring the urge to binge-eat by 31%.

Lead researcher Dr Maria Kekic, from the Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN) at King's College, London, said: "Our study suggests that a non-invasive brain stimulation technique suppresses the urge to binge eat and reduces the severity of other common symptoms in people with bulimia nervosa, at least temporarily.

"We think it does this by improving cognitive control over compulsive features of the disorder."

The treatment works by electrically stimulating the brain (Image: Getty)

The findings were published in the journal Public Library of Science ONE.

Bulimia typically emerges in adolescence and is much more likely to develop in women. It is thought that up to 2% of women experience the disorder at some stage in their life.

The condition is associated with multiple medical complications and up to 4% of sufferers die prematurely.

Whilst existing treatments such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) are effective for many people with bulimia, they do not help a substantial proportion.